Steering apparatus for motor-vehicles.



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No. 762,197 PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

L. R. ROGERS.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 20. 1903.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented June '7, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD R. ROGERS, OF IVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. GATES, OF -VVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,197, dated June 7, 1904. Application filed April 20, 1903. Serial No. 153,384. (No model.)

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Be it known that I, LEONARD R. Roenns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of IVorcester and a side view, partly in section, of a portion of the steering apparatus; and Fig. 4 1s a bottom view of the lever shown in side view in Fig. 3. Similar letters of reference refer to simliar parts in the different views.

My present invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device for steering motor-vehicles, which shall obviate the lost motion due to excessive wear of the actuating parts, and I accomplish this object by means of a shaft capable of an endwise movement or thrust due to the rotative movement of a screw-threaded member, as hereinafter described; and my invention consists in the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, as pointed out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A denotes a portion of the framework on which the body and operating mechanism of a motor-vehicle are supported; B, the front axle, and C C the forward or steering Wheels, rotating on bearings having a pivotal connection with the front axle at C C, as is common in vehicles of this class. The wheels C C have a simultaneous movement on their pivotal connections by means of arms D D, which are coupled together by a link D, and the movement ofthe wheels C C to direct the course of the vehicle is accomplished by providing the pivot of one of the wheels with a radial arm E, which serves as an actuatinglever, the angular movement of which is imparted to the wheels U C in order to turn the vehicle to the right or the left. This portion of the guiding mechanism, however, forms no part of my present invention as it is now in common use in motor-vehicles.

The lever E is connected by a link E with the free end of a lever F, pivoted at one end to a bracket F, attached to a portion of the framework of the vehicle. The lever F is provided with a semispheri cal recess or socket F to receive the spherical end G, formed on the shaft G, which has a screw-thread G and at its upper end a socket adapted to re ceive the squared end of the steering-post H. The shaft ('Jr carries at its upper end a steering-wheel H in suitable position to be rotated by the attendant. The screw-threaded section of the shaft G is engaged by a fixed nut I, having aflange I at its lower end, by which it is attached to the framework by means of bolts 1 so that the rotation of the steeringwheel H will impart an endwise movement to the shaft G upward or downward, according to the direction the wheel H is turned. The shaft G is operatively connected with the leve'r F by means of a bolt J, which is screwed into or otherwise attached to the spherical end G of the screw-threaded shaft G The bolt J extends through a slot or opening J in the lever F and carries on its lower end awasher J curved to lit a cylindrical surface J, which is concentric with the spherical socket F The washer J is held in place by a nut J and a check-nutJ The connection between the screw-threaded shaft G and the lever F permits of the rotative and endwise movements of the shaft G and of the angular movement of the lever F. The fixed nutl is open on one side, as at K, and is provided with lugs K, which may be drawn toward each other by bolts K in order to contract the opening K and compensate for the wear on the screwthreaded shaft G and nut I.

The operation of my device is as follows: Assuming the wheels 0 C to be in their normal position or parallel with the frame A, the rotation of the steering-wheel H in one direction will cause the shaft G to move downwardly, thereby depressing the lever F and swinging the wheels C C in one direction on their pivotal connection with the axle B,

while the rotation of the steering-wheel H in the other direction will move the shaft G upward and elevate the lever F, causing the wheels C C to swing in the opposite direction. The power required to rotate the wheel H is multiplied by the screw and applied with great force to move the lever F, and the wearingsurface of the screw thread is sufficiently large to avoid any lost motion due to wear by continued use.

By the employment of a fixed nut rigidly attached to the framework of the vehicle the entire apparatus is very rigidly and firmly supported, and the action of the screw is so smooth and powerful that a sense of security and effectiveness is obtained.

What I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a steering apparatus for motor-vehicles, the combination with a wheel arranged to support the framework and having a pivotal connection therewith, of a screw-threaded shaft, means for rotating the same, a fixed nut engaging said shaft, connecting mechanism by which said screw-threaded shaft is operatively connected with said pivoted supportingwheel, said fixed nuthaving means for taking up wear, substantially as described.

2. In a steering apparatus for motor vehicles, the combination with the framework of the vehicle, of a tubular nut attached to said frame, said nut having a longitudinal slot or opening on one side, means forcontracting said opening to compensate for wear, a screwthreaded shaft engaging said nut, means for rotating said shaft, and a pivoted lever operatively connected with said shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a steering device for motor-vehicles,

the combination of a rotatable screw-threaded shaft having a spherical end, a fixed nut engaging said shaft, a lever pivoted at one end and provided with a spherical recess to receive the end of said shaft and having a slot for a bolt, and a cylindrical surface concentric with said spherical recess, a bolt attached to said screw-threaded shaft, a concave washer filling the cylindrical surface on said lever, and means for holding said washer in place, substantially as described.

4:. In the steering apparatus of a motor-vehicle, the combination with a fixed nut, of a screw-threaded shaft engaging said nut, a supporting-wheel capable of varying its alinement with the frame of the vehicle, intermediate mechanism between said supportingwheel and said screw-threaded shaft, whereby the endwise movement of said shaft will vary the alinement of said supporting-wheel, and adetachable steering-post attached to said threaded shaft, substantially as described.

5. In the steering apparatus of a motor-vehicle, the combination with a framework comprising an axle, of apair of supporting-wheels pivotally connected on vertical axes with said axle, connecting mechanism to secure a simultaneous swinging movement of said wheels, mechanism for swinging said wheels comprising a pivoted lever, and a screw-threaded shaft having a ball-and-socket connection with said lever and means for moving said screwthreaded shaft endwise, substantially as described.

Dated this 17th day of April, 1903.

LEONARD R. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

PENELOPE CoMBERBAoH, RUFUs B. FOWLER. 

